News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-05-05
UNIQUE PRISON GOVERNMENT.
How Discipline Is Maintained in
California Prison on Stomachf-
cal Basis.
From the Sacramento Record.1

To those who are unacquainted with
the methods of prison discipline, visit
to the branch prison at Folsom is full of
interest. To see the 600 prisoners at
work in and around those quarTies, one
wonders by what means men who are
convicted of all crimes known to our
laws behave so excellently and work with
q degree of industry that would be credit
able to any walk of life. Six hundred
men unmanacled, unclaimed, outside of
the prison walls, with nothing to indi-
cate that they were prisoners except
their striped felons' suits, working away
with a will, performing IN honest day
labor and apparently proud of the result
of their toll, is q sight to visitor totally
unexpected. Men who never in a free
state did an honest days work-forgers,
burglars, highwaymen, mrderers-vie
with each other to see who can do the
most, and strive to and do accomplish
as good work as that turned out by free
skilled labor. These men are of all ages,
from youth of sixteen to men bowed
down by three score years and ten-men
whose sentences range from one to fifty
five years, while others have been SEN
fenced for life. What is still more re-
markahle, the ''lifetimers," as they are
called, are said to be the most contented
and best workers, and those who i'll q
free state are lazy, indolent and averse
to labor of any kind are the most relia-
bic and industrious. The secret of all
this is the fact that the quality and ser
vice of their food and the limited priv
leges they enjoy are dependent upon
4b1;,, 1nhnx-,A1. cd +hn and
quality of the labor they perform. The
eating department OF the prison is divid-
ell into three grades, and is designated
by the prisoners as the ''bean table, -
''bull beef" and ''mutton chop" The
dining-room for the ''bean table" is fit
ted up with tables consisting of single
board about ten inches wide, upon which,
about every three feet, is securely nailed
tin dish containing pepper and salt.
The beans and other rough food are
served on tin plates, and knives and
forks are not provided. The food is
wholesome, but it must be eaten i'll the
most primitive style, and the prisoners
are not allowed to speak to one another
during meal time. All new prisoners
are placed at the "bean table," and it is
not until their excellent conduct and in
dustry commends them to the manage
ment that they are promoted to the ''bull
beef table" Here the fare is more
varied, the prisoners are seated at tables,
furnished with wholesome beef, vegeta-
bles, &c. This is quite a step in ad-
vance of the "bean table," and many
prisoners never get beyond it. The
mutton chop table" is the height of the
prisoners ambition. Here he is seated
at regular dining table; he has a full
complement of dishes, though all are Of
tin; he has knife and fork; the table is
furnished with casters; he has a mutton
stew, stewed beef, meats in variety,
vegetables in season, and is allowed to
converse freely with his fellows. 1t is q
distinction he is proud of, one that he
has worked hard to obtain, and one that
he will maintain, no matter how hard
the struggle. The prisoners are treated
kindly; the "muttOn chop" men are
shown great consideration by the officers,
and from this class little or no trouble is
ever experienced, for an infraction of
the rules sends them back to the "bean
table, " from which they find it difficult
to again obtain what they have lost.